Can't You See That I Still Love You?
by ChocolatStar
Summary: Back by popular demand! A second chapter to my first story 'Can't You See That I Love You' After his awkward conversation with Katara, Aang goes off to do some thinking... Very light and fluffy.
1. Through Katara's eyes

Alright, so you guys twisted my arm - let's make it a two-fer ;)

I've kind of divided this 'Part Two' into two parts lol. See, I wanted both Katara and Aang's point-of-views here - but I didn't want to switch the view points during the story as it might get confusing (thanking you for the tip, Kumori Doragon) So - it's in two parts, but is a continuing story…you'll see.

First up, Katara and her wonderful mind :)

Oh but before that, can I just thank my anonymous reviewers. Both really lovely reviews - and yes, completely anonymous person, I'm definitely going to continue watching the series. I'm hooked!

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Avatar. That's why I'm writing fiction about it for no profit. Yep.

Can't You See That I Still Love You? 

It was three hours after Aang and Katara had partaken in their incredibly awkward conversation, and by some miracle, the brunette had actually managed to get to sleep.

Her rest was troubled however, and she tossed and turned in fits.

Down her cheek, forgotten tears left silvery, sad trails.

Images filled her subconscious mind. Flashes of what had been…and what could still be. And then through the oppressive darkness - Katara heard her name being called.

"Katara?"

It felt so far away though. Too far away to worry about.

"Katara?" it asked again, more insistent this time.

The girl murmured and turned, half awake now - but sleep was far more inviting than drifting back to the physical world.

Katara liked the darkness. She yearned for it.

There - anything was possible.

All the real world seemed to bring was heartache and struggle. What was the point?

Now stuck in that place between dreams and reality, Katara found her half-conscious mind wondering if every fourteen-year-old girl felt that same way - or if she was alone in the fight.

"Katara - come on! Wake up already!"

But there was that voice again, and the light was coming fast now. Slowly, she arose from the vast swamp of dreams. Reality was once again with her.

How boring.

The Waterbender cracked an eye open, to find Sokka perched above her. He looked worried, but Katara's sleep-ridden mind couldn't automatically register the significance of it.

What she did notice however, was that it was still dark out. In fact, it was still _very _dark out. What was the time anyway?

The brunette let out a groan, and moved a hand to her forehead. "Sokka? What - what's going on? Dark equals sleeping time."

"Katara, just now, when I got up to - ah, _do_…certain things -"

"I beg you to please spare me the details."

"Well when I did," Sokka continued, "I noticed Aang was gone!"

"What?!"

_That_ got her attention. Instantly Katara sat up. Turning to Aang's sleeping bag, she saw it was true. The Avatar really was gone.

Oh God.

"Do you think somebody took him? - In his sleep?"

Already the worst scenarios possible were flooding Katara's mind.

Sokka shook his head. "There's no sign of a struggle. He probably just got up to go for a walk or something, but still - I think we better go look for him - you know how that kid loves to find trouble."

Katara couldn't agree more. "Let's move."

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The pair walked for what seemed like hours - but was probably closer to fifteen minutes. They said nothing.

Every minute walked gave way to a greater feeling of foreboding and fear for the young Waterbender.

What if Aang _had_ been taken? He could be anywhere now.

Oh Spirits, what if he had been killed? What if the stupid Fire Nation had done away with wayward chats and got right to the Firebending side of things?

No, it's ok - Aang was strong. He was the Avatar.

A Firebender, or anyone for that matter, would have to get up pretty flipping early to defeat _him_.

The thought cheered Katara for about a millisecond.

Aang _was_ incredibly impulsive though. What if he had been careless?

The brunette shook her head in defiance to her thoughts.

What was she doing? It was very possible - almost one hundred percent possible in fact, that Aang had just gone somewhere.

In the middle of the night.

Alone.

And without telling them.

Oh jeez, the doubt was back.

"It's gonna be ok Katara," Sokka said suddenly.

The unexpected voice in the otherwise silent night caused the brunette to jump a little. "Am I that transparent?" she asked meekly, wearing the expression of someone who was quite obviously worried.

The boy looked to her, noted the expression and chuckled lightly. "Yeah, pretty much."

The Waterbender smiled a little, despite herself. Looking to the ground, she said, "You know, he's just so impulsive…I just hope he hasn't gone off to do anything stupid."

"Oh Katara, you should know better. Aang's gonna be fine," Sokka breezed back, "He's always fine. He probably just, you know, needed to get some air or something."

But Aang could create air with the tiniest flick of his finger - why would he need to go walking for it?

The thought did nothing to soothe Katara's fears.

"Just don't worry yourself. You don't want to get as grey as Gran Gran now."

The teenager shot a cheeky smile his sister's way, and dodged as she went to hit him.

"Hey!" Katara laughed, "Now that was just uncalled for."

Sokka suppressed a snort, before saying, "Hey, I'm just warning yah." The boy jammed his hands into the warm pockets of his parka, and looked up to the night sky. There was a pause, and then, "Don't think I haven't noticed you plucking hairs out…"

Katara's mouth opened slightly in feigned shock. "Sokka!" she laughed, "don't make me Waterbend you."

The girl's brother raised his hands in a sign of truce. He laughed. "You're right; please forgive me oh Mighty Master Katara."

He bowed slightly to this, which made the brunette laugh. "You idiot."

Grinning at each other, the pair bumped shoulders playfully.

"There. Feel better now?" Sokka asked.

But Katara never got a chance to respond. For in the clearing the siblings had entered, stood Aang.

The Waterbender's eyes widened in surprised joy.

"Ah - there he is," Katara heard her brother say, before she rushed over to the Airbender.

"Aang!"

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And that's what Katara's point-of-view looks like, now click to chapter two for Aang's thoughts on the whole matter…

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	2. Through Aang's Eyes

Chapter two, and we're in our favourite Avatar's point-of-view. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue.

Can't You See That I Still Love You? The Second Chapter. 

Aang, upon hearing his name, turned just in time to catch Katara flinging herself into his arms. Befuddled, he had to step back quite quickly to support the sudden weight shift.

Sokka meanwhile, moved toward the pair at much more casual pace. He seemingly didn't feel the need to rush into Aang's embrace.

"Oh, thank the Spirits you're ok," Katara breathed, before quickly breaking apart and all but screaming, "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

Whoa.

The brunette, apparently innocent and sweet, suddenly looked very scary indeed. A little worried for his life, Aang took a step back. "I'm sorry I scared you Katara."

"So you wanna tell us what you were doing wandering off in the middle of the night?" Sokka asked.

Aang looked to him, and then Katara. Out of habit, his eyes lingered there - long enough to cause Sokka to look at him weirdly.

"Um - hello?"

Aang shook his head. "Oh ur, sorry - I just was, you know, getting all stuffy and I thought I'd go for a little walk. Get some fresh air, you know?"

He noticed Katara's eyes narrow slightly, and desperately hoped the fact that he had been crying not too long ago wasn't insanely obvious.

The Avatar wiped at his eyes self-consciously.

"So you just decided to come walking out on your own, when you know there's at least five different groups of people after you right now?" Sokka continued to press.

There was a definite air of scepticism in his voice.

"Ur…yeah?"

The boy's eyebrows rose. "Right - and you didn't think to maybe inform someone of your leaving?"

"Look I just wanted a walk, what's with the third degree?!"

Pushing past the pair in a sudden wave of anger, Aang stomped off back the way he'd come.

The Airbender heard Sokka's audible sigh of annoyance, but continued to walk despite it. He just wanted to be alone - couldn't his friends understand that?

Apparently they couldn't, as seconds later, Aang felt a hand grasp his shoulder, and gently ease him to a stop.

He turned to find Katara standing there.

"Aang please, come on - you know Sokka was only worried for you."

"Yeah, let's not go shouting at the good-hearted guy who's just looking out for you huh?" the sixteen year old added, walking up to the pair in his usual gentle lope.

The Avatar sighed, and he dropped his eyes in shame. "You're right, I'm sorry Sokka."

What was he doing? Aang never just exploded at people for no reason usually. In fact, scratch that, Aang never exploded at people _period_.

The pony-tailed boy looked to his friend in unusually sincere concern. "Something biting at you buddy?"

"Ur-"

What was Aang supposed to say? 'Oh yeah, actually Sokka, I seem to be completely crushing on your sister. She doesn't return my feelings though, and now I feel like my heart's been ripped out my chest, kicked around in a bit of Airball and flung into the bin. But other that that I'm peachy?'

Hmm - maybe not.

"I guess - you know, just regular stuff," he managed eventually.

"Avatar stuff?" Sokka asked knowingly. He smiled in a supportive kind of big brother way.

Well, not exactly…

Aang nodded anyway.

Risking a brief look at Katara, the Avatar was surprised at what he saw there. The Waterbender had the strangest of looks on her face…like maybe she didn't believe him?

Oh spirits, had she figured it out?

"Well we better get back to camp," Sokka announced, interrupting the Avatar's internal ponderings. "Some of us need out beauty sleep…Katara."

He smirked playfully at the brunette.

"Right, that's it - you're getting bended," Katara warned half-jokingly, though still reaching for her water-skin nonetheless.

Sensing that Sokka was running a high risk of getting very wet if he continued his jokes, Aang interjected with, "Don't worry Katara, I don't think you need _any _beauty sleep."

The Avatar grinned stupidity for a minute, until he noticed the wry smirk and raised eyebrows of Sokka.

"Oh really?" The teenager laughed, clearly amused by Aang's words.

Now, any normal person at this point would have been laughing too - making a nice, comfortable joke out of the situation. But oh no, not Aang. Despite knowing he really should just shut up, the Avatar seemed to have lost all control over his mouth.

"Yeah - I mean you don't have to be a beauty pageant judge to see that Katara's a very pretty girl."

Oh my God what? Why, why, why was he still saying things?

Shut up already!

Instantly, Aang turned a deep shade of red, matching the brunette perfectly, who was flushing quite considerably herself.

Sokka smiled in an annoyingly knowing way. "Ah, got yah," he teased, winking. "Should I just leave you two alone maybe?"

Aang stared at Sokka in horror. Surely this wasn't actually happening? This was worse than the campfire chat.

And yet, he was actually resisting the urge to say, 'yes, could you Sokka? That would be really helpful.'

Fortunately, Katara saved him from anymore embarrassment. "Oh Sokka, don't be ridiculous. Aang's just being a gentleman - unlike some of us," she remarked pointedly.

Sokka smirked. "Gentleman huh? Is that what they're calling it these days?"

Katara shot him a look that said 'this female's going to kick your butt in a minute if you don't shut up,' before leaning into Aang and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Aang," she seemed to purr - though that might have been the Avatar's over-active imagination at work again. She had probably just said it normally, but whatever.

The Airbender felt his face glow red all over again - a fact that Sokka found quite amusing, but Aang was beyond caring. He was lost in heaven somewhere, for Katara had just kissed him. Sure, ok - it had only been on the cheek, and sure, ok, it had probably been nothing but a sweet gesture by the brunette, but still, Katara had made lip contact with his face.

That was good enough for Aang.

Hmm, if only he had thought about 'accidentally' moving his face to hers when Katara had kissed him.

Oh well, next time maybe.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the whole affair. "Alright, fun's over - now can we please go get some sleep now?"

Apparently, it wasn't really a question, because the teenager was already walking back to the forest.

"Come on Aang," Katara urged, all smiles.

Aang was smiling too - but in a more dreamy way. He heard Katara laugh, and then felt her grasp his hand. "You're so sweet," she said, quite randomly, before leading the Avatar toward the forest.

Of course, Aang followed willingly.

Perhaps, for the moment, he was happy just to follow.

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Awww - young love ;)

Hope you all enjoyed that, you slushy romantics you. Review if you wanna - but hey, no pressure J


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